Dodgers Stronger World Series Favorites

The Los Angeles Dodgers already were favored to win the World Series before the MLB trade deadline. But now the Dodgers are even bigger favorites according to oddsmakers, sitting as +275 chalk – down from +350 in July – following the acquisition of starting pitcher Yu Darvish from the Texas Rangers.

Darvish (6-9, 4.01 ERA) had not put up eye-popping numbers in 22 previous starts earlier this season, his fifth with the Rangers. However, he is a nice addition to help bolster Los Angeles’ starting rotation, especially with ace Clayton Kershaw (15-2, 2.04) currently residing on the disabled list with a back injury. Darvish is slated to make his first start for the Dodgers on Friday against the New York Mets.

Behind Los Angeles on the betting board are the Houston Astros (+450), Washington Nationals (+700), Chicago Cubs (+700), Boston Red Sox (+750), Cleveland Indians (+800) and New York Yankees (+900). Of that group, the Yankees may have helped themselves the most by trading for starting pitcher Sonny Gray (6-5, 3.43) from the Oakland Athletics.

Red Sox, Yankees Battle for AL East Title

Gray is expected to make his first start for New York on Thursday, and he is hoping to help his new team top the Red Sox – who did not do much of anything prior to the trade deadline – in the American League East. The Red Sox and Yankees will likely battle down to the wire for the AL East title, with the second-place team probably getting one of the Wild Card berths.

The Kansas City Royals (+2500) and Arizona Diamondbacks (+2500) are two other teams in the American League and National League, respectively, who could end up making the playoffs as Wild Cards.

The defending World Series champion Cubs are also worth watching closely down the stretch as they attempt to win the NL Central for the second consecutive year. Chicago has been on fire since the All-Star break and made a deal with the crosstown White Sox to obtain starting pitcher Jose Quintana, who is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA for his new team.

The Cubs knocked out the Dodgers in last year’s National League Championship Series.